Unveiling the Motorola DROID BIONIC XT865 Specs Prices & Insights

Overview of the Motorola DROID BIONIC XT865

The Motorola DROID BIONIC XT865 was a highly anticipated smartphone announced in January 2011. Despite being cancelled and never officially released, the device garnered significant attention due to its advanced features and specifications which were quite innovative for its time. It was geared towards high-performance and intended to operate on the Verizon Wireless network. The phone was originally planned to support 4G LTE capabilities, which were cutting-edge during its announcement.

Design and Build

The Motorola DROID BIONIC XT865 sported a robust and stylish design, measuring 125.9 x 66.9 x 13.3 mm and weighing 158 grams. It was designed to be a durable device with a solid build, featuring a black body color. The device used a Mini-SIM and was set to have a modern and utilitarian design language that was typical of Motorola’s Droid series.

Display

The smartphone boasted a 4.3-inch TFT display with a resolution of 540 x 960 pixels, providing a pixel density of approximately 256 ppi. The screen was designed to occupy about 60.5% of the front panel, offering a wide-angle view that made it suitable for multimedia consumption and gaming. The 16:9 aspect ratio was in line with what most smartphones offered at the time, making it great for viewing videos and playing games.

Performance and Hardware

Under the hood, the DROID BIONIC XT865 was powered by the Nvidia Tegra 2 AP20H chipset, which included a dual-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9 CPU. This hardware configuration promised significant processing power for its time, making the device capable of handling complex applications and multitasking. Additionally, it featured a ULP GeForce GPU, which made it suitable for mobile gaming and graphic-intensive operations.

The phone offered 16GB of internal storage with support for microSDHC cards, which was expandable via a dedicated slot, satisfying the need for additional storage. It came with 512MB of RAM, providing adequate memory to run the Android operating system and applications smoothly.

Camera Capabilities

On the photography front, the Motorola DROID BIONIC XT865 was equipped with an 8 MP main camera. This primary camera featured autofocus (AF) and dual-LED flash, promising decent photography and video capabilities at 720p resolution. Even though it was primarily marketed as a high-performance phone, its camera capabilities were comparable to other devices in its category at the time of its announcement.

The device also included a VGA front-facing camera, which was primarily intended for video calls. While the resolution may not have been superb by today's standards, it was quite a useful feature considering the era it was designed in.

Battery Life

The DROID BIONIC was meant to be powered by a removable Li-Ion 1930 mAh battery. At the time, having a removable battery was a significant advantage, as it allowed users to replace batteries if they encountered issues or needed extra power during travel. While 1930mAh might seem insufficient by modern standards, it was fairly standard for the phones of that generation, balancing the need for power with the constraints of size and weight.

Network and Connectivity

One of the key selling points of the Motorola DROID BIONIC XT865 was its network capabilities. It supported CDMA/EVDO/LTE technology, with bands covering CDMA 800/1900, CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, and 4G LTE band 13. This made it one of the few phones at the time to harness the speed of the Verizon Wireless LTE network, facilitating faster browsing, streaming, and downloading.

Connectivity features included Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n with dual-band and hotspot capabilities, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and EDR, GPS with A-GPS support, and a microUSB 2.0 port. However, it lacked an FM radio, a feature some users might miss. The inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack ensured that traditional audio peripherals could be used without the need for adapters.

Operating System and Software

The phone originally shipped with Android 2.2.1 (Froyo) but was planned for an upgrade to Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean). This would have given users access to a wide array of apps via the Google Play Store, as well as features such as improved user interface, enhanced notifications, and better overall performance.

Sensors and Additional Features

For added functionality, the Motorola DROID BIONIC XT865 included several sensors such as an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and a compass. These would not only enhance the phone’s usability in gaming and app experiences but also support a variety of utility apps that relied on sensor data for features like navigation and augmented reality.

Conclusion

The Motorola DROID BIONIC XT865, although cancelled, remains a fascinating example of smartphone innovation at the start of the 2010s. It combined high-end features like a dual-core processor with advanced camera capabilities and 4G LTE speed. While it never made it to market, it set a precedent for future devices in terms of high-speed internet access and performance capabilities.